Tiny Desk "Outstanding" Song Explained

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The song in the Tiny Desk AI videos is "Outstanding". It was a 1982 hit for The Gap Band, the funk and R&B group Charlie Wilson led with his brothers Ronnie and Robert, and Wilson sang it live to close his Tiny Desk concert.

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Song, artist and album

Song: "Outstanding". Original artist: The Gap Band. Album: Gap Band IV (1982). In the Tiny Desk clip it is performed live by Charlie Wilson, the band's lead singer, with his own band and backing singers.

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Who wrote it

"Outstanding" was written by Raymond Calhoun, The Gap Band's drummer. It became one of the group's biggest hits on R&B radio and has been sampled and covered by many hip-hop and R&B artists since.

The Tiny Desk performance

NPR Music posted Charlie Wilson's Tiny Desk concert on June 5, 2023. "Outstanding" was the closing song, and the close-ups of Wilson singing it are the footage the meme is built on.

The lyrics

We do not reproduce the lyrics here because they are copyrighted. You can find them next to the official audio on the major streaming services.

Using the sound in your video

Videos from Tiny Desk AI App keep the original sound of the Tiny Desk close-up, so you do not need to add the song yourself. If you post on TikTok, you can also pick "Outstanding" from the sound library.

Music rights

The song and the performance belong to their rights holders. Tiny Desk AI App is not affiliated with Charlie Wilson, The Gap Band, NPR or any label, and grants no rights to the music. Share your video for personal fun.

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